Buying Trolls

**Merlin** · 08-10-2012, 05:34 PM

A group of individuals thought it would be fun to troll GC today with a slew of buying threads. Keep in mind that posting a bunch of practically identical topics back-to-back is spam and bot behavior and will be treated as such. I'm writing it off as a momentary lapse in judgement on their part and won't press the issue.

Please don't treat TFF as a dumping ground for trash posts and flame wars. I know the forums are a bit slow right now, but the staff is actively working on making things better. The site is over ten years old and still around. I think that says a lot. Let's not shit where we eat OK? Thanks.

**SOLDIER #819** · 08-10-2012, 05:49 PM

Meerrrlinnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!! You're in on it with us now. A public thread discussing our attempt at fun? This could only end badly.

For the record, seanb's sex toy topic should probably be brought back. I mean, it is the thing the started the chain, but he isn't responsible.

Also are we still doing THE PROJECT?

SPOILER!!:

**Yoko** · 08-10-2012, 05:57 PM

EBG needs more souls to devour. JOIN US!

Seanb's thread had nothing to do with EBG and that stint from hours ago. It was rather valid. DON'T HATE!!!

Was there really any flaming though? All I read was LOVE! EBG loves.

If you're suggesting other for us ways to increase forum activity, we'll do just that. I'm almost done school anyway.

**Victoria** · 08-10-2012, 06:11 PM

Yes, Merlin is suggesting other ways to bring about activity. There wasn't direct flaming, but there was plenty trolling. Also, the sex toys thing was also most likely also a mock to the other buying topics. That, and...sex toys. >.> At least label something like that 18+ lol.

But anyway. I'm all for other ways of increasing activity.

**SOLDIER #819** · 08-10-2012, 06:26 PM

Increasing activity? I couldn't understand why there were so many Buying threads and thought it'd be fitting to bring it to its natural conclusion.

**seanb** · 08-10-2012, 06:38 PM

Yea, was not aware of what yous egb lads were doing,.. i just made a thread about a topic that is remotely similar to another two threads in that they are about purchasing things... it most definitely was not done out of mockery. I am actually surprised, cos i think its a really interesting topic...

edit: were is my thread gone? i spent the whole afternoon making it, and now you have really upset me... just as this place was beginning to get a little bit interesting you go and spoil it all, with your boring big blanket of boringness that youve just spread over the place dampening all of our lonely little souls

**Pete** · 08-10-2012, 06:57 PM

Well, all the cool kids know that SOLDIER is where its at.

EBG is just Emerald Knights deserters anyway.

**Merlin** · 08-10-2012, 07:13 PM

Seanb, one of the reasons your topic was targeted is because it violated the NSFW rules. Even if it wasn't part of the other activity it was still inappropriate for General Chat. The family friendly rule comes straight from the owner of this site.

In other news, yes S the project is still going on. I had a few 60+ hour weeks at work but I'm pushing a bunch of changes this weekend. I'm going to steal the prez's "Hope in Change" campaign and use it for TFF... XD Ok not really. The point is, big things are happening soon. I need someone to start making some advertisements me thinks...

edit: Tantalus FTW. Ah dammit now I need to find my old banners. Or make a new one... hmm

**SOLDIER #819** · 08-10-2012, 07:40 PM

The offer still stands, Merlin (provided Our Glorious Leader allows it).

**loaf** · 08-10-2012, 09:24 PM

I'd rather join Tantalus.

**SOLDIER #819** · 08-10-2012, 09:48 PM

So you'd help instigate a Tantalus revival?

RIGHT NOW?

**Pete** · 08-10-2012, 10:05 PM

I'll be in the fricken EK all by myself if I have to

**Martin** · 08-11-2012, 12:28 AM

Alright, all this aside is there a rough date for implementation of all these fancy new things you have planned? I'm not being harsh or anything - just it's been on the cards for a while. I totally understand that you guys are busy, work, social or whatever. That's fair enough. But need it be completely under wraps?

**LocoColt04** · 08-11-2012, 12:36 AM

Pete, you know I've still got all those old EK banners somewhere... on one of those old laptops laying around.

The timeline is very loose right now - we want to implement as many good things from the current iteration of TFF into the upcoming vB 4.x variety as we can, but there are a lot of features that are simply incompatible. Finding similar alternatives to these and deciding what to cut out are among the various tasks involved here.

You also have to realize that, while some of us are helping Merlin test features, or play with various settings through the admin panel, Merlin is somewhat single-handedly managing this conversion himself. The rest of us aren't quite so hot on the tech end. I can script in .php all day if needed, but there is so much more involved here, so the best the rest of us can do is just test out everything and work on the less hefty projects.

**Order** · 08-11-2012, 12:38 AM

I take the ambiguity as a sign that there will be more of the same.
You guys want a new TFF?
Start doing it individually.

I seriously doubt the mods of this site are going to magically turn it into a secret internet gold mine.

However, if that is the plan, we may want to brush up on our money laundering technique in light of the fact that HSBC is currently answering a lot of very specific questions.

Short of that, my statement stands.
You want new and more interesting, stop being old and boring yourself.

**Martin** · 08-11-2012, 12:40 AM

It's not a case of that Order. We try stuff, it dies.

The only threads that get activity are the ones that are controversial, and so they only get responses through outrage or because it's 'a bit naughty'.

What I'm referring to are board changes, new features, changes to threads and the layout - not what people post.

**SOLDIER #819** · 08-11-2012, 11:17 AM

So I'm not asking for direct links or anything, but how do we measure up to other FF/Square-Enix forums, guys?

**Yoko** · 08-11-2012, 11:33 AM

As far as I'm aware, TFF is the most active FF forum I've seen. You guys still talk about FF topics (New and old), RP whenever we have the time. D&D when we're bored. Talk about the latest news and whatever. We don't really need to change anything. Just try not to be bot like or spammy. I a lot of the other forums I go to don't even use Social Groups anymore. I love TFF for what it is and what we talk about. The problem is that we're so busy trying to get forum activity that our efforts often take a wrong turn somewhere. We need to work on that.

We also need a new member base somewhere in there. Sure there are new members joining, but it's the newbs that keep this place booming. Be kind to newbs. You were one once too remember.

**Merlin** · 08-11-2012, 11:38 AM

Well we are no longer the go-to place for FF news, so we lose a lot of foot traffic from that. We haven't had much luck keeping news hounds around have we?

**Yoko** · 08-11-2012, 11:41 AM

We might have to be the go-to place for FF news again. If I wasn't so lazy, I'd post some as I knew about them. I'm pretty sure there's a new FFXIV trailer out there somewhere. I get updates about it all the time. It looks like TFF used to be a one stop shop for everything. Would it be too much of a hassle to try to bring that reputation back?

**Lacquer Head** · 08-11-2012, 12:03 PM

Oh look, people copying me...as usual (⌐■_■)

**Taco-Calamitous** · 08-11-2012, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by Lacquer Head

Oh look, people copying me...as usual (⌐■_■)

UR A TRENDSETTER, omggggggg

Also, maybe we shouldn't have done it-I kinda got coaxed into it and was feeling uneasy about it the whole time-but we did it. It wasn't targeting anyone, and at least a few people were responding and were amused. Some of the threads we made were as legit as the two they were lampooning anyway, especially the engagement ring one, and the others just required a bit of imagination to respond to. There are other things to worry about on these forums. Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom

**SOLDIER #819** · 08-11-2012, 12:44 PM

Is there really that much FF news out there anymore? Game dev time has significantly slowed the flow. Takes 2 years or more between each installment/sequel, with maybe a rhythm or board game littered in between. Square-Enix's output in general has slowed.

I'm pretty sure we should have done it, which is why we did it.

MAKIN' MEMORIES. We have a new trophy in EBG now!

Originally Posted by Lacquer Head

Oh look, people copying me...as usual (⌐■_■)

And we're those people that make the fad uncool through overuse.

**loaf** · 08-11-2012, 01:29 PM

I'm pretty sure a new FF game has come out every year. Just because it doesn't have a number behind it doesn't mean it's not FF news.

**Yoko** · 08-11-2012, 01:41 PM

I get FF news almost daily. And other updates from SE, IGN and other gaming news sites. I just don't post them.

**Halie** · 08-11-2012, 04:28 PM

I actually thought the 'Buying so and so' threads were really funny, they spruced up my evening yesterday. Is that sad? Probably.

I think maybe it'd be good if we could come up with more stuff that everybody can get involved in, like the Member Elimination for example. When is that happening, btw?

Also, the gift shop, what the hell happened to the gift shop? D: I know it's been yeeears but I always wished it would come back.

**Andromeda** · 08-11-2012, 04:30 PM

Agreed, there is quite a bit of Square Enix news out there. A lot of it is not necessarily specifically FF news. Though Sept 1 they're making another FF announcement. FFXIV Ver2.0 released a two trailers last week. But big news for them right now is the release of DQX.

Without saying too much, the new system will allow for a more seamless integration of news to the forums. I used to be one the individuals to support the TFF news, but it was quite a pain linking it around. The new system will make it a lot easier to post news.

The reason I came here was because I followed the news updates from the site. Unfortunately, they haven't really been reliable.

I might have to make use of my Square Enix Membership for news sources whenever we get things finished.

**Alpha** · 08-11-2012, 05:59 PM

I think I've been here long enough to realise something. We spend more time talking about how to increase activity than actually increasing activity.

All it really requires is people to think of creative ideas for interesting and topical threads. And then people to make replies. That's seriously all there is to the equation. The buying threads made me laugh.

**Lacquer Head** · 08-11-2012, 08:11 PM

I have an idea, let's discuss the fact that Gaywood is a SeeD Captain. Because puns.

**Cain Highwind** · 08-16-2012, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by Merlin

Well we are no longer the go-to place for FF news, so we lose a lot of foot traffic from that. We haven't had much luck keeping news hounds around have we?

What news?

Really hard to report things when there's just so little to report on and what there is, is just so uninteresting. S-E has really been slouching when it comes to FF lately. I honestly find it virtually impossible to hold interest in the franchise.